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�MARITIMERFebruary 2008

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CarpEThe Metro GroupMARITIMER

Vol. 2 No.�

PublisherMarcus L. arky

AssociAte PublisherVictoria Medeiros

editor in chiefalia Mansoori

reseArch editorKemal Kurtulus

coPY editoremily ballengee

Art directorCourtnay Loch

contributorsMichael arky

Kate ballengeebenjamin Kinbergfilip Kwiatkowski

Tania Savayan

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6� broadwaySuite �4�0

New york, Ny �0006

phone (2�2) 425-7774 fax (2�2) 425-8�03

[email protected] visit www.mgmus.com

Printed in the U.S.A.Copyright © 2008

Metro Group Maritime Publishing

MARITIMERT h e M e t r o G r o u p

New yorK iSSue

6 The whiTehaLL CLub

8 PorTSide reSTauraNTS

11 LuNar New year PreView

12 Q&a wiTh New yorK arTiST TerreNCe MaLey

14 bLurriNg The LiNeS beTweeN froNT offiCe aNd baCK offiCe

16 iNSider’S guide To NyC

19 No offSeT ruLe

20 MariTiMe arT iN PubLiC PLaCeS

22 New MgM CuSToMizabLe iNTerfaCe

23 booK reView: PeTe haMiLL’S north river

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among its many legacies, downtown Manhattan is counted as being one of the shipping industry’s greatest hubs. under Lady Liberty’s stoic gaze, New york harbor was crowded with passenger and cargo ships. Millions of dollars worth of goods floated up and down New york’s waterways on any given day. Thirty stories above the harbor and its daily mari-time parade, members of the shipping industry con-gregated in the legendary whitehall Club.

“Lower Manhattan was really the nucleus of the shipping business,” said robert Sappio, senior vice president of aPL, who was introduced to the club right out of college towards the end of the indus-try’s height in Lower Manhattan. “The whitehall Club was certainly a regular haunt for many of the managers and executives of the shipping industry downtown.”

“a busy day, in the old days, starting at noon-time, maybe even earlier, the bar would be three people deep,” said robert h. Pouch, director of the board of Commissioners of Pilots of the State of New york from his office, located just �8 floors below the famed lunch club, overlooking Pier a in New york harbor. “you would go in and there would be a roar coming out of the room.”

The roars would soon give way to the growls of hun-gry stomachs as patrons would put down their cock-tails and finalize their games of dice on the high-hat tables sur-rounding the ele-gant bar and head into one of three dining rooms to have lunch.

Whiteha ClubThein �9�0 the whitehall Club opened its doors at

�7 battery Place and welcomed distinguished members from the Mcallister and Morgan families, goliaths like John Jacob astor iV, Jay gould and John d. rockefeller, Jr. and other prominent men of commerce. Membership grew, and the club became the unofficial clubhouse of the maritime industry.

“it was such an elegant place and the people—the head of the iLa was there, the head of steam-

ship companies, people from Cunard Lines, united States Lines, holland american—to see so many shipping executives in one place was just amaz-ing,” said Captain James J. McNamara, president of the National Cargo bureau, who was first introduced to the club in the �960s while sailing with the States Marine Lines.

outfitted with coffered ceilings, walnut paneled walls, stained-glass panes depicting various ship-ping lines’ smoke stacks, detailed ship models and breathtaking views of Lower Manhattan, the club was the perfect backdrop for entertaining clients from out of town or settling situations in an amicable manner.

“People were able to talk to each other in an unofficial setting about things that were troubling them or problems they had and sometimes prob-lems would get solved because there was a jury of executives and management people who had a po-lite interest in each other’s business,” said Pouch.

formal yet friendly, the club’s atmosphere lent itself to conversation where even “your archest com-petitors in the business” became friends and busi-ness issues could be discussed and resolved in a cordial manner, according to Pouch. but sometimes matters were settled in a more simplistic manner.

“as some rumors go, there were times that con-tracts were signed based on which guy could out drink the other,” said edward J. Kelly, executive director of the Maritime association of the Port of New york and New Jersey.

while the bar was the stage in which anecdotes were exchanged and deals made through clouds of cigar smoke and the sound of ice rattling in a shak-er, its windows gave some of the best insight into what was going on in the business.

“when i went up to the bar, i could look right down on top of the two piers we rented in brooklyn an interior view of The whitehall Club dining room.

a page from the whitehall Club’s promotional booklet.

– ALIA MANSOORI

and could see what ships came in or if one was at anchorage waiting to get in,” said Pouch of his real-time status reports. “you could view your operations and see not only what your operation was doing, but what your competitors were doing.”

during the club’s early days there was a sepa-rate dining room for women guests, but according to Pouch, who served a stint as director of the club, women were allowed their own membership in the �970s and held their own among the well-seasoned major maritime players.

“when the club became co-ed a lot of distin-guished women in business, politics and the law were invited to become members,” said Pouch. “Congresswoman helen bentley, elaine Chao, who was deputy secretary at the u.S. department of Transportation and is now secretary of labor…all of the women who were going into business and mov-ing into the senior ranks were all engrafted into the club.”

with changes in the shipping industry including electronic customs filings, taxation, regulation, and rent hikes many steamship lines moved out of lower Manhattan in the mid-90s and left what was once the nucleus of the maritime industry with only rel-ics of a bygone era.

The whitehall Club, a not-for-profit establish-ment, was forced to file for bankruptcy in �995.

“The whitehall Club shuttered because its mem-bership base aged and its corporate base went away,” said Pouch who, along with McNamara, salvaged items from the club such as menus, seals, photos, and postcards before wrecking crews demolished it

to make way for luxury condominiums. The items will be displayed in the �2th floor corridor of �7 battery Place where both men still work.

The relics, however, do not take the place of their favorite lunchtime haunt.

“i used to love watching the ships in the river,” said McNamara wistfully as he recalled his fond-est memories of the club. “in �966, when the Queen Mary left on her last voyage, she sailed at noon from up at Pier 90, and there was a big party at the whitehall Club celebrating the last trip of the Queen Mary. Now, with all these battery City buildings you can no longer see all those wonderful ships that passed in front of our windows.”

The industry’s geographic decentralization and the near disappearance of large american-based liner businesses make the resurrection of the whitehall Club or something similar unlikely, says McNamara.

“it was a wonderful, wonderful, learning experi-ence,” said Sappio. “i wish i had been older, joined the industry sooner, i wish i could have experienced more of the history of the industry and the white-

hall Club and its tremendous camaraderie.”don’t we all.

There Was No BeTTer Place To WaTch WhaT Was haPPeNiNg iN The harBor. caPTaiN james j mcNamara

a page from the whitehall Club menu, december �6, �994 (left) and a detail of the menu cover (right).



A Guide to dininG on the docks in nY & nJ Portside Restaurants

hope and Anchor 347 Van brunt street, brooklyn, nY (718) 237-0276

Sautéed veal liver in an orange garlic rosemary re-duction and hot wings seem like unlikely items to see on the same menu (not to mention a diner’s menu), but brooklyn’s hope and anchor is not your typical diner.

in a once dodgy part of red hook, within earshot of the brooklyn-Port authority Marine Terminal, the diner, outfitted in red vinyl and black formica, serves up gourmet creations and classic diner delights to a crowd that includes longshoremen and local artists.

Traditional breakfast items include fluffy pan-cakes that are griddled until deep brown resulting in a nutty outside, as well as standbys with a creative twist like jerk chicken hash served with two eggs. These items and others keep the sun-drenched space a morning favorite with local patrons.

Karaoke sessions Thursday through Saturday nights help night owls work off their meals of risotto with leeks and goat cheese or juicy cheeseburgers.

hope and anchor’s red walls are the backdrop to a changing display of artwork. however, the eatery’s restrooms might house the most famous artist’s works—hundreds of Sailor Jerry tattoo sketches are patched together to create makeshift wallpaper and celebrate the neighborhood’s maritime past.

ferdinando’s focacceria151 union street, brooklyn , nY(718) 855-1545

Stepping through the wood and glass doors of fer-dinando’s focacceria transports one back to the brooklyn of yesteryear. The brick-walled italian lun-cheonette, just three blocks up a tree-lined hill from the waterfront, is still serving up the same signature dishes it has since it was opened by Sicilian immi-grants in �904.

Patrons cozy up to white granite slab tables and order ferdinando’s signature dish, which isn’t a fo-caccia at all, but actually a deep fried chickpea frit-ter, called panelle, topped with ricotta and parme-san cheeses. other Sicilian classics include octopus salad and pasta with sardines and fennel.

The old-world charm of ferdinando’s has even captured hollywood’s attention—the focacceria’s in-terior doubled as Jack Nicholson’s hangout in Martin Scorcese’s film, the Departed.

hoPe And Anchor

Alma187 columbia street brooklyn, nY(718) 643-5400

alma blazed a culinary trail when it opened over five years ago on an industrial stretch of the Carroll gar-dens waterfront. Today, that street is home to doz-ens of restaurants, cafes and boutiques.

Porthole windows dot the two-story brick façade and give the Mexican restaurant a nautical touch that is heightened by the breathtaking views of New york harbor and the Manhattan skyline that can be seen from the rooftop, al fresco, dining patio.

while sweeping vistas are difficult to compete with, alma’s crispy pork empanadas, jumbo shrimp coated in shredded coconut and fajitas made with grilled, marinated, black angus steak or chipotle chicken breast more than hold their own against gotham’s grandeur.

robust and flavorful meals can be rounded out with refreshing sorbets made of seasonal fruits or a delicate, yet firm, flan that is creamy and light rather than overly caramelized and eggy.

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campino restaurant 70 Jabez st, newark, nJ(973) 589-4004

Surrounded by rail tracks and minutes from Newark bay, the ironbound neighborhood or “Little Portu-gal,” was forged by generations of railroad and port workers who emigrated from the Mediterranean in the late �800s. from this broad-shouldered legacy Campino restaurant was born.

one’s first impression is of an old world fish mar-ket complete with a lobster tank and great ice chest packed with crab, dorade, salmon, branzino, clams and scallops.

“Much of the fish is imported right from greece and Portugal, especially the dorade which is a rare, pleasant-tasting white fish,” says head chef francis-co rosa, who strives to preserve the authenticity of the menu that the owner, Jose Seabra, a Portuguese immigrant, established over �8 years ago.

from its vaulted ceilings to its exposed kitchen, Campino is as open and inviting as it is refreshingly anachronistic.

guests make their way through a candlelit dining room outfitted with antique accents and Spanish-Moorish tile artwork to a table of their choice. from

servers preparing Portuguese sausage tableside over an open flame to holding out writhing lobsters for inspection, the restaurant shows careful attention to detail and versatility.

of particular note are the Portobello mushrooms with mozzarella in balsamic vinegar appetizer and crab-stuffed lobster adorned with fresh tomato and baby greens. for dessert, server Junior Schutt rec-ommends Portuguese coffee, a zesty blend of bran-dy, liqueur beirao, espresso and milk, with a choice of serradurra, a layered custard cream with Maria crackers, or rice pudding.

Campino’s menu is a seafood tribute to the bay and its ironbound community and their heritage.

Puccini’s restaurant1064 West side Avenue, Jersey city, nJ(201) 432-4111

Sinatra serenades in the background as sharply dressed servers review the daily lunch specials which have been fully prepared, plated, and arranged on a cart at this Jersey City staple of fine italian-ameri-can fare. after the server carefully sizes up each guest and the lunch options, he recommends what he considers to be a good match. on this occasion a

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tri-color salad of arugula, endive and radicchio, von-gole oreganata (baked clams), and a broiled whole red snapper over a bed of spinach were selected for me. a rich ricotta cheesecake and espresso with a hint of steamed milk (a macchiato) rounded out the delectable meal.

an eager young couple plans their wedding feast in a far corner while three businessmen make their way, through tables of laughing families, to their “regular” table. This eclectic patronage seems to contribute to the charm that has sustained Puccini’s bravura reputation for over 24 years.

Portugal barbecue207 clark Pl. elizabeth, nJ(908) 289-6554

Tucked away between the Port of elizabeth and the New Jersey Turnpike prospers Portugal barbecue.

although you may not find the majestic architec-ture of Lisbon, the pristine seashores of algarve or the country beauty of Sintra in this industrial Por-tuguese neighborhood, you will find food that is au-thentically iberian.

imported blue and white azulejo tiles from Portu-gal line the walls of the modest, no-frills, restaurant. Locals shuffle in and out of the restaurant ordering large plates of barbecue chicken or ribs, rice and salads all served family style

The kind and doting wait staff cater to a crowd of families and local workers who have large plat-ters of food awaiting them on long communal tables at lunch time. Patrons rave about the tender, char-broiled, marinated chicken and barbecued Portu-guese sausage.

Puccini’s

metRo GRoup mARitime to ceLeBRAte LunAR neW YeAR With BiGGeR BAsh

After last year’s tremendously successful Lunar New year party, Metro group Mari-time is gearing up once again to usher in the year of the rat with a party on Monday, feb. �8.

“Last year had such great attendance and we had so much fun, how could we not do it again?” said Victoria Medeiros, director of sales and market-ing for Metro group Maritime. “Last year was more geared to our Chinese friends. The basic rule for in-vitation was you either had to work for MgM or work for a Chinese steamship line. This year, we decided to make it a larger event and include more of our friends. we made the rule that you have to work for a company that is directly or indirectly affected by trade with China, so i guess that means everyone is invited.”

This year’s soiree will be held at the acclaimed Chinatown brasserie whose chef, hong Kong-born Joe Ng, has been praised for his Cantonese special-ties and unusual twist on classic dim-sum staples.

MgM chose Chinatown brasserie because of its outstanding food and gorgeous setting.

according to a release from the eatery, the res-taurant’s design and décor are an amalgamation of New york and Chinese “cultural layers.” The effect is one of an upscale brasserie with eastern elements such as ornate screens, oversized silk lanterns and floral wallpaper.

Metro group Maritime’s event will be held in the restaurant’s downstairs dining lounge replete with koi pond and carved cork sculptures from Shang-hai.

“This year is going to be another wonderful cele-bration of the entry of the new lunar year,” predicts Marcus arky, general counsel. “we especially hope to make our friends who are far from their homes and families in asia feel closer to home.”

– AM

chinAtoWn brAsserie’s lounge And koi Pond

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ferdinando’s focacceria

hope & anchor

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Campino restaurant

Puccini’s restaurant

Portugal barbecue

courtesy google M

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courtesy google M

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�3MARITIMERFebruary 2008

Q&ANew York Artist Close-up: Terrence Maley

It’s no wonder that countless works of art, literature and poetry have attempted in some way to capture the greatness of the sea. From its reckless strength to its majestic tranquility, the sea has charmed and mystified us since the dawn of human civilization. Residents of New York City seem to have a special awareness of the enormous significance that our harbor holds in the history of our country and in our daily lives. One New Yorker, painter Terrence Maley, has decided to devote his life to the pursuit of his two passions: painting and the sea. A Bronx, New York native and Merchant Marine for 25 years, Maley has won many awards for his work and has been inducted into the Salmagundi Club, an exclusive circle of artists endorsed by the Coast Guard Art Program (COGAP) which recognizes distinguished maritime art.

What does the title, “official coast guard Artist,” mean to you personally and professionally? Per-sonally, it’s about patriotism. Leaving my artwork to my country. My story is told to the american people this way, and it’s in good hands. Profes-sionally, it’s a great honor. did growing up in the bronx and the exposure you had with the shipping industry in new York city harbor ultimately spark your interest in a career at sea with the navy and the Merchant Marines? how so? definitely. i was a dreamer as a kid and i always wanted to know what was over the horizon, in our summers on the beach in rocakaway, i wanted to know what was over the horizon. when i was �5 my father brought the family down to fleet week on the hudson river. we went aboard a destroyer that was open to the public. and i was immediately aware that i was off the land and i was standing on the deck of a ship and this was like magic to me, that i was on a ship, not on the land. There was a cook cooking hamburgers there, a happy guy, and that he lived on this thing was, to me, like magic. of course the big guns on her and the bridge and the helm and the brass and the light paint, i thought to myself, someday, i will do this and i did. A merchant ship is defined as, “one that transports cargo and passengers during peace time. during wars, the same ships are auxiliaries to the navies of their respective countries, and are called upon to deliver military personnel and material.” Ac-cording to your life experience, is this an accurate

definition of a merchant ship and the mission of the Merchant Marines, and would you add anything to this definition to make it more complete? The work i have done with the Military Sea Command (MSC) in-volved ocean research, special projects, intelligence work, National ocean & atmospheric (Noa) plotting the oceans and the weather in the world. There is much more than just freight involved. Some tankers support the fleet because they are chartered by MSC. Commercial tankers would come out and deliver oil to us (MSC) and we would deliver it to the fleet. What, in your estimation, was the greatest innovation in shipping in your 25 years at sea - one which seemed to permanently change the way in which shipping was conducted? women aboard ships. They brought with them civilization and cleaned up the crews. The women did just as magnificent a job as anybody and it reminded us that we were in the world. The lan-guage cleaned up immensely, many people cheered up and started to smile and the thing we missed mainly about being out at sea was with us now. What is it about the ocean that we find so inspiring—the subject of so many works of art? one morning when i was �8 years old observing the sunrise in the gulf of Mexico, as the colors rose above the dark hori-zon, i met god in the absence of man. is a specific storm being described in your painting, “they call it the Perfect storm”? if so, which one, and what compelled you to paint it, as it takes on a clearly darker tone than your other works? when i was on

the cable ship, the uSS Meyer off iceland, dragging for a broken cable, i stood night watches out in the open bow as a deck engineer. The seas off of iceland were like the seas in “The Perfect Storm” at times, with the spray and the sleet and the winds coming over the bow, and in the lights on the gantry, we could see huge waves breaking over green water, coming at us. i was dressed in a parka, a face mask and gloves and my partner Marvin Morales would say, “here comes one!” and we would turn around and let it wash all over us. we’d be under water (laughing), then we’d go back to work and turn around again when the next wave would come. we had ice on our face mask, icicles hanging off our mouths and noses. it was december, January and february, off iceland. it had its own intense beauty. in the morning when it settled down in the great, green dawn, the mountains of iceland showed up like a string of pearls on the grey horizon. it was beautiful, it was the hard-est thing i had to do, i wanted to be home at Christmas with my kids. i was a deck engineer machinist. Many of your paintings, especially, “uscg eagle leading opsail 2000” (figure 1) and “unrep the Jersey” (figure 3) seem to celebrate the ornate and highly detailed beauty of the ships that comprise the subject of these works. With this in mind, please describe what you expect to give your viewing audience. i’m tak-ing them with me on my trip, on the trip of my life. i hope to take them with me on the experiences i lived. They look at my paintings and, well, one woman who said about Perfect Storm, ‘Mr. Maley, that is the best painting! The droplets in the water, the waves – but, it’s so cold!,’ and that’s exactly what i wanted to do. To bring her with me out on the sea in that cold place, to tell my story. What projects/pieces do you have planned for the future? i think it’s going to be a New york skyline. i’ve been toying with this forever, with the uSS Ny coming out under the brooklyn bridge. i like that area. and the new Trade Center over there to the left with the “ghost” of the old Trade Center buildings behind it. i mean, to me, this would be ideal.

– BENJAMIN KINBERG

While Maley renders most of his artwork in a mixed media, he also works with watercolors, as well as pen and ink pieces.

1 USCG Eagle Leading OpSail 2000, 2 They Call It the Perfect Storm, 3 Unrep the Jersey, 4 Sketch of New York skyline

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to VieW More of MAleY’s Work, PleAse Visit: www.artbymaley.com



FRont oFFiceAt� broadway there are two entrances below ornately carved stone pediments. one reads, “Cabin Class” while the other says, “first Class.” They were indicators for ticket holders and buyers who were en-tering the building, former home to the united States Lines, perhaps in preparation for a trans-atlantic voy-age.

a couple of hundred paces north, at 6� broad-way, Metro group Maritime continues in the same great tradition of service of the ocean liners of a past era. They, however, do not distinguish between classes—they strive to treat all their clients as first class ticket holders—and show absolutely no sign of becoming a relic of the past. it is MgM’s approach to debt recovery that has made it a stand-out. it is a system that encompasses complete transparency with clients, attention to detail, the highest level of customer service and treating a back-office function like a front-office enterprise.

“There is a growing trend of companies outsourc-ing part of their operations, especially back-office finance and accounting,” said Neil ross, a partner at MgM. “we believe outsourcing is okay for most back-office finance and accounting functions, but accounts receivable management and third party debt collection require a different type of business provider—a provider who is a dealmaker and a rain-maker.”

“MgM staff knows that the debtors are still the customers of the steamship line and that they need to be treated with respect,” said ross.

MgM views ar not as a back-office operation at all, but instead as the last step of the closing of cer-tain deals. Their focus on the maritime industry gives them the background and ability to work in tandem with their clients.

“They take the time to get to know their clients and their clients’ business because they specialize,” says Marc Marling, vice president and general coun-sel of CMa CgM america. “although we are all ocean carriers, there are things that differentiate one carrier

from another, in their corporate culture, in how they view receivables and what they expect out of the col-lectors who do work for them. i think that MgM does a good job at customizing themselves to the needs of each client.”

The rigorous training that MgM’s employees un-dergo is key in providing clients with such custom-ized service.

“in order to be extensions of our clients, we spend a lot of time training our people. we study our client’s documents and visit and work side by side with them in order to better understand their culture, tech-niques and operating procedures,” said Marcus arky, general counsel of Metro group Maritime. “we also visit the terminals in order that our MgM employees truly understand the actual physical process behind the documents.”

“often times there is more than one way to re-solve a debt—our collectors often act as deputized sales people for the lines by resolving the debt and also reinstating the customer for future business,” explains arky.

beyond training collectors on the ins and outs of issues that arise in the collection of maritime debt and the operations of a steamship line and terminals, MgM hires former clients.

Valli Piedra joined MgM after her position was eliminated at CP Ships following hapag-Lloyd’s acqui-sition of the company. Tasos Christ, the former credit and collections manager at zim american integrated Shipping Service Co., inc., joined MgM as a collector after leaving zim, but still wanting to work full-time. Seeing MgM as both hired third party debt collector and employer has given both individuals great insight as to how MgM compares to their competitors.

“when you’re turning over hundreds of thousands of dollars to someone, you lose control, and you worry about that,” says Christ. “i say this as a former client as much as a current employee. Metro takes away the worry of that money because they make it as easy for you as possible to get information on what they’re

doing with your dollars, how your dollars are being handled, and when your dollars come in. it’s noted so you can follow up to make sure you get those dollars when you’re supposed to. i’ve never dealt with anoth-er agency that was that good, or felt that comfortable with. They have immense integrity. ”

“i had opportunities to go with other companies, and i would not even consider them because you have to trust the people that you are working with as well as the people that are working for you,” Christ continued.

Counting veterans of the shipping industry among their staff certainly puts MgM at a great advantage within their sector. however, having attorneys at the helm and overseeing the entire collection process not only expedites the process, but puts them in a cat-egory of their own.

“The industry knowledge that they bring sets them apart. They are headed by attorneys who under-stand the endgame is very important,” says Marling. “They’re not afraid of getting on a plane and seeing a debtor to put quick resolution to something. They do what’s necessary to get it done.”

Jim arnold, chief financial officer of CMa CgM america describes MgM’s customer service as, “out of the ballpark. from that perspective, i don’t think anybody is even close and as we’ve gone through col-lections, their results are far above everybody else’s…they worked our biggest settlement last year and they came out better than what we expected. [They] did a great job and settled that account very quickly.”

The caliber of service from start to finish provided by Metro group Maritime is something rarely associ-ated with the world of collections. That is because MgM does not view itself as a back-office enter-prise.

“even though we are asked to perform a back-of-fice function, we find it helpful to work in a front-of-fice location—the wall Street area,” says arky. “we have a fantastic staff that is empowered to work cre-atively.”

That out-of-the box thinking allows MgM to ap-proach debtors not as “dead-beats,” but as wayward customers of their clients.

“our staff has the unique challenge of interfacing with our clients, the steamship lines, as well as their customers, the debtors,” says beth Krieger, director of client relations at MgM. “it is a very rewarding job to create solutions for the SSLs, especially the cus-tom-tailored solutions that some lines require and to also resolve the disputes with the debtors. you need a very flexible mind-set.”

BAck oFFice

– AM

MgM’s headquarters, third from right, and tallest, at 61 broadway.



n Y ci n s i d e R ’ s G u i d e

italian restaurant: Max. Since 2000, owner Luigi iasilli has been serving up his family’s classic, simple, southern italian recipes for patrons that sometimes wait up to two hours for a table at this cozy, no reservations, east Village staple. iasilli’s newest outpost, Max Tribeca, played host to Metro group Maritime’s Columbus day party where guests dined on Max’s signature Caprese salad with imported buffalo mozzarella, a selection of pastas, cod and duck. east village: 51 Ave. B, nr. 4th St., (212) 539-0111. tribeca: 181 Duane St., nr. hudson St., (212) 966-5939. Cash only.

Coffee: Café gitane. despite it’s “too cool for school” vibe, celebrity clientele and hip NoLita (North of Little italy) location, this french-Moroccan café has surpassed trendy due to its consistently excep-tional coffee. italian Lavazza coffee beans are ground fresh for each order resulting in a rich, strong, brew. Light fare such as baked eggs and towers of couscous dotted with fresh hummus are also worth a try. 242 Mott St., nr. Prince St., (212) 334-9552.

bagels and Lox: barney greengrass. There is no better place to enjoy the quintessential New york breakfast of a bagel and a “schmear” than barney greengrass. discerning New yorkers have been piling into this bagel and smoked fish bastion for nearly �00 years. The addic-tive quality of their perfect bagels paired with cream cheese and rich smoked salmon has led to a booming mail order business and a tony beverly hills outpost of the upper west Side original. 541 Amsterdam Ave. at 86th St., (212) 595-6565.

under the radar Museum: The Tenement Museum. Tucked away in the historic Lower east Side neighborhood is The Tenement Museum. while it may not have the world renowned works that are housed in the Metropolitan Museum of art or the Museum of Modern art, the lesser known museum is an ode to New york’s humble beginnings and the working class that built it into the epicenter it is today. one can even tour the preserved apartments of german-Jews from the �870s and Sicilian-Catholics from the �930s. 108 orchard St, nr. Delancey St., (212) 431-0233.

bird’s eye View of the City: Top of the rock at rockefeller Center. Soaring 70 stories up, the 2005 renovated observation deck at the top of the ge building gives one of the best vantage points for watching the bustling city below. Less crowded than the empire State building and with the advantage of being able to actually see the empire State building and its lights from nearby, Top of the rock is the definite, but not so obvious choice for near aerial views of the city. 30 rockefeller Plaza, nr. 49th St. and 5th Ave., (212) 698.2000.

Secret oasis: governors island. one-half mile from the banks of bat-tery Park City sits the rural oasis of governors island. The �72-acre-island, covered with rolling green hills and historic buildings, was recently sold back to the City of New york by the u.S. government, who had used the island as a military facility. The island, which held captured confederate soldiers during the Civil war and served as a supply base during world wars i and ii, is now a refuge from the crowds and concrete of the city. governors island is only open dur-ing the summer. ferries depart from the battery Maritime building, 10 South St., Slip 7.

Steak: Peter Luger’s. Peter Luger’s Steakhouse has been a New york institution since it opened its doors in williamsburg, brooklyn �20 years ago. The no-frills establishment serves up perfectly tender, siz-zling, aged porterhouses with classic sides such as creamed spinach and hash browns that put other steakhouses to shame. be sure to order a side of the bacon, which is more like a thick strip of lean smoked pork with a glistening border of fat. 178 Broadway, Brooklyn, (718) 387-7400.

deli: Katz’s. “Send a salami to your boy in the army,” as the sign suggests, or “get a pistol with a shot” (pastrami on rye with coleslaw) at Katz’s deli. you don’t have to be harry or Sally—the film’s famed scene was filmed here—but you have to be hungry for Jewish deli foods at this oldest-school, chaotic, only in New york, institution. fill up on corned beef, pastrami, stuffed derma (chicken skin), pickles and dr. brown’s Cel-ray soda. 205 e. houston St. at Ludlow St., (212) 254-2246. Pizza: Choosing just one was nearly impossible so the Maritimer has broken this New york delight up into three distinct pizza categories.

Traditional slice: Joe’s Pizza. for a classic triangular, thin-crust, slice Joe’s is hard to beat. on any given day people are huddled at Joe’s window on the corner of Carmine and bleecker Streets with white pa-per plate in hand, lowering a perfectly folded slice into their mouths. 7 Carmine St. at Bleecker St., (212)366-1182.

gourmet Pizza: Palà. The relatively new Palà is a clear stand out in New york’s crowded pizza scene. a mixture of organic flours are blend-ed into a yeastless, naturally-rising dough that forms a crisp yet tender crust that sets the perfect platform for their all-natural, buttery, buf-falo mozzarella. Toppings range from vegan soy mozzarella to truffles to pumpkin puree in lieu of traditional red sauce. 198 Allen St., nr. houston St., (212) 614-7252.

New York can be a daunting city to tackle, filled with tourist traps. The Maritimer has picked its favorite insider haunts to highlight some of New York’s best, known and unknown, bets.

Patrons line up at gitane’s to-go coffee window on Sunday morning.

Crowds shuffle in and out of the historic Katz’s deli.View from 30 rockefeller Plaza.

a view of lower Manhattan from governor’s island.



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brick oven Pie: Lombardi’s. in �897, gennaro Lombardi opened his grocery store on the corner of Spring and Mott Streets in Little italy.by �905, as New york pizza legend goes, gennaro began selling pizza and became one of the first pizzerias in the city. while the verity of their claim as New york’s first pizzeria is questionable, their perfect, crisp, brick oven pies are undeniably delicious. 32 Spring St. at Mott St., (212) 941-7994.

Classic Ny Cheesecake: Junior’s. Junior’s boasts to having, “The world’s Most fabulous Cheesecake” and few would argue otherwise. with nearly two dozen different types of cheesecake, Junior’s manages to satisfy every type of sweet tooth. The original location in down-town brooklyn retains the same upscale diner feel that it had when first opening its doors in �950. Since then, two other locations have opened in Times Square and grand Central Station. while its Manhat-tan outposts are aesthetically less iconic, the Ny-style cheesecake remains unbeatable. original: 386 Flatbush Ave. at Dekalb Ave., (718) 852-5257. Grand Central Station: Main Concourse nr. track 36, (212) 692-9800. times Square: West 45th St., nr. 8th Ave., (212) 302-2000.

best thing to do in New york: walk everywhere! whether it be cross-ing the brooklyn bridge to the brooklyn Promenade or a walk down gallery row in Chelsea to the west Side highway and along the banks of the hudson, the pedestrian-friendly city is best seen on foot. The area north of �4th Street is an easy to navigate grid, while the slightly twisty downtown is the perfect place to wander and get lost. There, you will certainly stumble upon some gems and find your very own insider’s haunts.

Lombardi’s Pizza.

Pedestrian walkway on the brooklyn bridge.

No Offset RuleThe irrefutable right of shipowners to secure pay-ment for the shipment of goods has been a guiding principle throughout the history of maritime law. what was once a principle to encourage the growth of an industry has evolved into an absolute right. Specifically, the no offset rule demands that freight is still payable even if there are problems with the shipment, most typically damage to the cargo or shortage.

a common problem for maritime debt collectors has been how to rebut a debtor attempting to offset a claim for freight. historically, public policy con-cerns have enforced the right to payment of freight without offset. it is interesting to note that all other areas of english law allow for offset besides claims for freight. The policy of england, the origin of our body of maritime law, was to promote commerce es-pecially through the shipping industry. The guaran-tee of a payment for freight encouraged companies and individuals to invest in maritime adventure.

The procedural rules of the admiralty Court also demonstrated freights’ overwhelming importance as cases based on freight disputes were resolved as quickly as possible. Sir Charles hedges, who sat on the admiralty bench, insisted that a freight suit required a “quick dispatch for the advancement of trade and navigation” since “the freight of one voy-age is the supply of another.”

Turning to the present day, modern case law in both england and the united States demonstrate that the right of the shipper to secure payment is still in full effect. if the goods are delivered, al-though in a damaged condition, freight is still pay-able regardless of any claim for damages, as was

set down in�977 in the seminal british case aries Tanker Corp v Total Transport Ltd. The aries court held that, “the law must be regarded as well settled and it applies both to ordinary freight and advance freight. once the right to advance freight has ac-crued it receives the same treatment as ordinary freight and no defense of equitable set-off on the ground of a cross-claim can be admitted.”

united States federal courts have determined that it is a clear rule in admiralty law that in the ab-sence of a contractual term to the contrary, freight is due upon delivery regardless of any claims the buyer may have for shortage or cargo damage on that shipment. a New york federal case, however, has given some credence to the development of the statutory right of set off or counterclaim under mod-ern procedural rules. as a result, the practice has developed wherein parties incorporate within the “freight” or “Charges” sections of their agreements language which provides that freight must be paid immediately “without discount.”

in conclusion, custom and case law demonstrate how firmly entrenched the right of shipowners to secure payment is even when the merchant has a cause of action for offset. a glance at any modern steamship line’s terms and conditions of their bill of Lading would show a freight earned clause, which is the modern-day manifestation of Sir Charles hedges idea that “the freight of one voyage is the supply of another.”

– KATE BALLENGEE

Metro Group Maritime’s Deputy General Counsel, Kate Ballengee, explores the principles behind the no offset rule


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In an effort to meet the demand of a modern, global economy and clients’ 24-hour-a-day

business needs, Metro group Maritime has created a real-time account summary and report center. dubbed the Metro 4000, the interface can be accessed by clients at all times via MgM’s website.

“each of our clients will be given a password and username to access their ac-counts,” said Steven young, chief operating officer of MgM. “once in the system, they will be able to see exactly at what point in the collection process their accounts are in.”

The system goes far beyond serving as a real-time status report in which clients can track accounts from placement to final collection.

“we are giving our clients the opportunity to take the raw data—accounts placed, amounts collected,

etc.—and spin that data in so many different ways,” said young. “They will not only be able to configure data to their exact liking, but they will be able to con-figure it on the time frame of their choosing—from one year to nine months to present or from week to week. basically, we’ve created a number cruncher’s paradise.”

a “status update notification” feature allows cli-ents who have an interest in a certain claim or vari-ous claims to be immediately notified via email once those accounts undergo any type of status change. Clients also have the ability to leave personal mes-sages for the collector working their accounts, see when payments are expected via an “expected pay-ments report” page and request that changes be made to the system in order to better benefit them. The feature is as beneficial to the collector as it is to the client.

The up-to-the-minute email alert system also helps “narrow the communication gap between the collector and client,” says benjamin Kinberg, collec-tor manager. “The best part about this feature is that many times while working higher profile accounts the collector might need additional information from the client. if the client is aware of changes of status in real time, the client may be able to attach to the file that one document or piece of ‘collection am-munition’ that the collector needs to resolve the file immediately.”

ultimately, the Client reports Center will not only expedite the collection process, but will also give clients peace of mind.

“Companies take a huge leap of faith when they place their accounts into collection,” said young. “we’re an open book. we want to create as much transparency as possible for our clients so that they know what is going on with their accounts at all times and that this information is always available to them and organized in a manner that makes it easier for them to do their jobs.”

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north river is set in �934 during the depression in working class greenwich Village, Ny. it centers on the life of a general practitioner, dr. James delaney. a volunteer medic in world war i who witnesses the worst horrors of war, delaney returns home, where near the story’s opening his wife mysteriously dis-appears and his 20-year-old daughter runs off to europe to find the Mexican communist revolution-ary that she had married. but before she does, she bequeaths to her 48-year-old father, on his door-step, her darling 3-year-old Spanish-speaking son, Carlito, whom the doctor accepts with unconditional grandfatherly love.

on their first day together, delaney proudly brings Carlito to an italian restaurant owned by a street savvy woman, angela. it doesn’t take angela long to figure out that delaney is going to need significant help in caring for Carlito, not just because Carlito’s upbringing is going to require substantial funds, but also because the nature of delaney’s medical prac-tice is performed largely away from his home/office on hospital rounds and even more on innumerable house calls, which, while motivated from a sense of responsibility, pay the bills.

delaney’s time and money problems, however, pale in comparison with his other problems: the Ma-fia. The gangsters are incensed that he is respon-sible for saving the life of a rival gangster (a war time buddy of delaney’s) and for having had him spirited out of the hospital. The mob tells him straight out that if he doesn’t tell them the hood’s whereabouts, they will harm the child.

angela sends delaney, rose Verga, a thirty-ish Sicilian born english speaking woman whose char-acter and background are eminently suited to deal with both his grandchild and Mafia problems. with the Mafia, she reaches into her experience with them to defend delaney. with the child, she confi-dently asserts her authority and yet treats him with great affection.

with rose at the helm, delaney can now delve into the gift that is his grandson. he begins by teach-ing the child to name the world in english, noun by noun. with great expectation, he then awaits what he knows will be the boy’s first verb: want. after that he proceeds to expose the child to other things in the world: he explains the things of the city—the subway, the el, baseball, the rivers and oceans, and then the world of art through crayons and paintings. his life had been numb for many years, even before his wife disappeared. Now the boy has recharged his life.

it’s here that the novel comes to a pivotal point. if his daughter never returns to claim the child, he’ll be able to raise him. but if she does, he’ll lose not

Pete Hamill’s North River takes a look at one man’s life on the banks of the Hudson River Book Review

only the child but rose too. and as the novel unfolds it becomes increasingly evident that this possibility is filling delaney with anxiety.

rose’s coming to his house on horatio Street has made it a home. after rose’s arrival, food begins to appear at frequent intervals in the story. Typically, for instance, some trying event moves onto a cozy kitchen scene where rose or delaney is preparing some delectable food—elaborate or simple, usually aromatic—and then the “family,” delaney, rose, and Carlito sit down to relish its taste and smells. The essentials of life—the things that touch the soul are now things that delaney cannot live without.

for a long time rose addresses delaney only as “dottore,” but slowly they become closer in body and soul. one night, delaney takes rose to the famed bygone roseland dance hall. here they de-light in the music and energy of the place:

And so they danced and danced, rose grow-ing skillful as she went along more relaxed, following his body and the slight pressure of his hands, then trying moves on her own. Delaney thought, i have lived too long in the country of numbness. i won’t live there again. i want to be a citizen of roseland.

hamill’s writing is richly textured, vivid, and root-ed in precise details, a style well suited to touching our deepest core. Let hamill describe to you a street scene from the depression:

on Delaney’s walks the Depression was everywhere; he saw a woman sagging with abandonment, trudging with two children, her gloveless hand out-stretched. her hair was wild and dirty. her shoes flopped and she wore no socks. he gave her a dollar, and looked astonished and burst into tears.

The North river, now called the hudson river, is the western border of New york City. The majestic river serves symbolically as an apt title for the novel. first its movement parallels the passing of time and life’s happenings in the neighborhoods that it pass-es. and then water—what makes life possible—is our most prized essential, our most cherished gift. in north river these gifts of life become manifest in the love between generations, in the evolved love between two adults, in the re-awakening of souls.

art should alter in some way our way of seeing the world. north river has done that for me and, i believe, will for many other readers, too.

– MICHAEL ARKY

NorTh riVerby Pete hamill

34� pp. Little, brown & Company. $25.99.


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